Winter weather sees 'spike' in crashes reported across the GTA: OPP

Winter weather in the GTA. (City of Toronto via Twitter)

Sunday's wintry weather has brought with it a number of vehicular collisions and transit route congestion across Toronto and the GTA.

OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said the service has seen a “spike” in crashes in the area as a result of the ice and snow.

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“If you’re going to be out on the roads today, make sure that you have your full headlighting system on. Make sure your vehicle is clear of ice and snow. If you can avoid driving until the snow is gone and the plows have cleared the highways of ice and snow, it’ll help everybody and keep traffic moving,” he said in a video posted to Twitter.

A head-on collision on Highway 401 in Toronto near Bayview Avenue that left two drivers dead earlier Sunday morning saw the collector lanes at the exit closed for several hours.

Schmidt said that one vehicle was travelling westbound in the eastbound lanes prior to the collision, though an investigation has yet to determine if the weather and visibility contributed to the crash.

Lanes have since reopened.

The scene of a deadly head-on collision on Highway 401 in Toronto on Dec. 11, 2022 is seen in this image. (Twitter/OPP Highway Safety Division)

In Scarborough, one person was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries following a collision in the area of Sheppard Avenue East and Kennedy Road just before 6 p.m.

Police said they responded to reports of a two-vehicle collision near the intersection.

An hour later, police were called to the intersection of Finch Avenue East and Brimley Road for reports of a two-vehicle collision.

Paramedics say they transported four people to hospital, all with minor injuries.

Brimley Road is closed at Finch Avenue East while police investigate the collision. Drivers are advised to use alternate routes. 

Police could not confirm the cause of either collision as of Sunday night. 

Elsewhere, in Mississauga, police said a driver was rushed to a trauma centre with serious injuries after they crashed into a telephone pole. In that case, Peel Regional Police said the crash was most likely weather related.

In an update posted Sunday afternoon, the City of Toronto said the salting of expressways and major roads is currently underway, as well as the salting of local roads in Scarborough and North York. 

Meanwhile, Toronto police, in a tweet, advised drivers to be extra mindful of the winter weather and road conditions.

Public transit users should also note that a number of TTC bus routes have been impacted by the weather including the 929 Dufferin Express, which is detouring southbound via Eglinton Avenue West, Lansdowne Avenue and Davenport Road.

The 33 Forest Hill bus is currently experiencing major delays near St. Clair West Station, while the 14 Glencairn route is now running on Bathurst Street, Shallmar Boulevard, Mayfair Avenue, Eglinton Avenue West and Chaplin Crescent.

The 77 Swansea is also detouring via Bloor Street West and Windermere Avenue and the 55 Warren Park is running on Dundas Street West, Scarlett Road, St. Clair Avenue West and Jane Street due to the weather conditions.

Collisions are also impacting service, the TTC posted on its Twitter service alerts feed.

A number of GO Transit bus routes have also been affected by the snow. Delays should be expected.

Shortly before 3 a.m. Sunday, Environment Canada issued winter travel advisories for several regions in the Greater Toronto Area, including Halton and York Region.

The the weather warnings advise the public to expect heavy snowfall up to 10 centimetres, reduced visibility in heavy snow, and the possibility of freezing drizzle.

Caledon along with Newmarket, Georgina, Pickering, Oshawa, Uxbridge, Beaverton, Vaughan, and Richmond Hill are all included in the statements, which point to at-times heavy snow ending early Sunday evening.

Some of the other affected areas include Barrie, Collingwood, Midland, Orillia, Belleville, Cobourg, Orangeville, Innisfil, Shelburne, Hanover, Owen Sound, Blue Mountain, Kingston, Napanee, Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, Peterborough, and Kawartha Lakes.

This wintry weather stems from a low-pressure system that is set to move through the area today, the national weather agency said.

“Snow at times heavy will continue to increase in coverage through the morning easing to flurries this afternoon,” said Environment Canada.

The weather agency is urging people to take extra care when walking or driving in affected areas and to slow down when driving in slippery conditions.

“Watch for taillights ahead and maintain a safe following distance. Visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow,” it noted.

“Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become icy and slippery.”